FORT COLLINS — My story from the Colorado State football camp during bye week is here.

In it, Jim McElwain said that the Rams already are being taken more seriously on the recruiting trail.

In addition to what’s in the story, he said: “We’re out two classes already, and that’s how we do it, that’s the system that we brought here. We can’t talk to (underclassmen) yet or any that kind of stuff, but obviously the evaluation period, where we’re able to sit down as a staff and watch film, that’s huge and we get a lot of that done this week as well.”

McElwain said recruiting to CSU still involves realism, on several levels.

“Let’s face it, if a guys interested in 35 different uniforms and different colored helmets and whatever, they’re probably not going to get along with the philosophy I have or we have here, that we’ve established,” he said. “We’re looking for the right fit for Colorado State University and there are a lot of factors that go into that, not just being a good player.”

McElwain also smiled and said, “With the budget we have, I had to make sure we bought our tickets a month in advance for recruiting because it saved. We don’t have the private planes, ‘Hey, by the way, I need to run over here.’ That isn’t going to work. There are certain things you have to do planning at a place like this. You’ve got to plan ahead and all that stuff counts.”

Colorado State Rams quarterback Garrett Grayson threw for five touchdowns against Wyoming, but CSU allowing the Cowboys two late TDs made the score deceptively close at 45-31. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

UPDATED

Going into last week’s game at San Jose State, I thought the Colorado State Rams would crack at least The Associated Press top 25 this week with a win that night at Spartan Stadium.

I was wrong, but it’s also clear that the stumbling-to-the-finish-line nature of that win — something that had happened before — cost the Rams, 8-1 going into Saturday’s Hawaii game in Fort Collins, some votes. Now they’re 9-1 after the 49-22 win over the Rainbow Warriors and will get word on Sunday whether they are in either the AP or the USA Today/coaches’ poll top 25.

Last week, they were the only one-loss FBS team in the country that wasn’t ranked, and they went into the weekend “26th” in the AP poll and “27th” in the USA Today/coaches poll if you extended the list out. The College Football Playoff rankings only go through 25 without an “also receiving votes” category, so the Rams weren’t mentioned there.

Going into the game Saturday, this was how could they have moved up in the next polls: Read more…

FORT COLLINS — As Colorado State president Tony Frank prepares to make a recommendation to the system’s board in December about whether to move forward with the on-campus stadium project or commit to sticking with Hughes Stadium, this might be a hint of what is coming: The university officially is inviting community members to tour Hughes Stadium at 1 p.m. on Nov. 18.

(I’ll let you in a little secret: Another way to take a tour is to attend a game.)

A sold out crowd was on hand for the Colorado State Rams’ game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Hughes Stadium Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

FORT COLLINS — The CSU women’s volleyball team improved to 22-1, tailgating for Saturday night’s Border War between CSU and Wyoming is in full swing, and it’s also “Pink Out” for breast cancer awareness here at Hughes Stadium. The color scheme — brown for Wyoming, green for Colorado State and gold thrown in on both sides — is a bit jarring.

It looks as if fans are heeding CSU officials’ recommendation to leave earlier and arrive earlier than for the Utah State game last week, also a scheduled 5 p.m. start.

Hughes Stadium east stands and east parking lot at 5:25 p.m., early in the first quarter (Terry Frei, Denver Post)

AFTERNOON: The word has come down from Fort Collins: The Colorado State vs. Utah State game at 5 p.m. is a sellout. Athletic department officials are urging fans to arrive earlier than usual because of the potential backups in entering the stadium.

This is CSU’s first sellout since Oct. 22, 2004. That day, the crowd was 30,108 in the then-30,000-seat stadium. The Rams beat Wyoming 30-7. CSU’s most recent home crowd of 30,000-plus was 30,027 against Boise State on Oct. 15, 2011. Also, CSU said this was only the second advance sellout in school history, after the Sept. 14, 2002 game against Louisville that drew 31,607.

UPDATE: Man, they weren’t kidding. There were pockets of stop and go from Longmont on up, but since Northern Colorado traffic has become Houston North, that wasn’t surprising. I came across Prospect to access the north gate for the press parking … and crawled (if that) from Shields on. And this was over two hours before the game.

I know this is completely useless to anyone who anyone who isn’t coming to the game, but perhaps you’re coming to the game and can read this because someone else is driving OR YOU’RE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC.

Karen and Mark Sambrailo at the CSU parents’ and fans’ tailgate outside Mackay Stadium. Ty’s older brother, Erik, is in the gold Sambrailo jersey at right and his sister, Kiersten, is in white facing the camera (or at least the phone).

RENO — My pre-game story from the late Nevada-Colorado State matchup is posted here, and it will run through early editions. It was a lot of fun to do, since I visited the Sambrailo family tailgate north of Mackay Stadium and talked with the parents of the Rams’ standout left tackle, Ty Sambrailo.

And in the glare of the late afternoon sunlight, these are the photos I came up with, using my cell phone.

OK, this shows why we have the true pros, the real photographers, on the staff.

Mark and Karen at their truck, with the sign advertising their tailgate. That’s Mark’s CU pole vault in the truck, and the CSU flag is atop it.

The numbers offered insight into just how much coaches receive, monetarily and otherwise, while the debate over player compensation the NCAA rages on. The numbers also revealed some surprising details about the contracts of CU’s Mike MacIntyre, who signed with the Buffs in 2013, and CSU’s Jim McElwain, who joined the Rams in 2012 and is now the Mountain West’s highest-paid coach.

Benjamin Hochman is no stranger to chasing big stories (see: Chasing Carmelo). The former Nuggets beat writer for The Denver Post and now one of its esteemed sports columnists, Hochman is known to those in out of the newsroom to do whatever it takes to get a story. And on Friday, at the 2014 Rocky Mountain Showdown between Colorado and Colorado State at Mile High, Hochman did just that.

He ran with Ralphie.

That’s right: The newspaperman and the buffalo were one on the football field, and we have video to prove it.

Higgins caught six passes for just 57 yards, and had a couple of drops in the 2013 Rocky Mountain Showdown. But Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre has watched enough film of CSU’s subsequent games to see that Higgins settled down and developed into a tremendous talent.

A University of Colorado helmet sits next to the trophy before the start of the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado State University. (Jeremy Papasso, Daily Camera)

FORT COLLINS — Colorado State reports that as of this morning, it had sold 22,000 tickets for Friday night’s Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

It’s technically a CU home game.

In retrospect, regardless of the attendance, it was unfortunate that the game was moved to Friday night for television purposes. (It’s being shown on the new Fox Sports 1…where available.)

That’s a prime high school football night, opening night for most schools, and it’s ridiculous that many folks who might have attended the game will be committed to attending high school games; or, conversely, attendance at high school games might be affected by the Shootout.

BOULDER — Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre was complimentary of Colorado State when he was asked Monday for an early scouting report of the intrastate rival.

Colorado and CSU open their 2014 season Friday night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

“They’re very similar to some of the Pac-12 schools,” MacIntyre said. “They’re more of a multiple team. They’ll do a lot of multiple tight-end looks. They’ll spread you out too.

“The strength of their team, if you look at it on paper, is the quarterback (senior Garrett Grayson) and their receivers,” he added. “I’m pretty sure they’re going to utilize them. Their tight end (senior Kivon Cartwright) is a really good football player.

“But I know they’ll run the football, because that’s what they like to do. So we have to be ready for that. But their quarterback and receivers and tight end are extremely talented.”

Kenneth Crawley, left, is congratulated by teammate Ryan Severson after making a tackle during the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Friday. (Jeremy Papasso, The Daily Camera)

BOULDER — Although Colorado junior Ken Crawley is a two-year starter, the native of Washington, D.C., entered August drills sharing the top spot on the depth chart at right cornerback with a newcomer, junior-college transfer Ahkello Witherspoon.

Colorado has not released an updated depth chart, but judging from comments made by coach Mike MacIntyre, it appears Crawley has done his part.

“Kenneth has improved a lot,” MacIntyre said Thursday. “He makes more plays on the ball. He is playing with more confidence. He’s more physical. I’m excited about what he’s doing.

BOULDER — Coaches in all sports are looking for crisper, cleaner practices as the season opener approaches. Colorado football coach Mike MacIntyre said his team is starting to feel that sense of urgency.

Colorado and Colorado State face off on Aug. 29, a Friday night “Rocky Mountain Showdown” at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

BOULDER — Happy trails to former Colorado associate athletic director Jim Senter who will begin duties as athletic director at The Citadel on Monday.

Senter, 52, was named athletic director at The Citadel earlier this month. The Citadel is a NCAA Division I school and a prestigious military institution in Charleston, S.C.

Born in Pennsylvania but raised in Oklahoma, Senter was in his ninth year at Colorado. Initially a fund raiser for the CU Foundation (as associate athletic director for development), Senter moved to the athletic department and last year switched to the newly created position of football sport administrator.

Through a CU news release, here are some parting comments by Senter, who will be remembered at CU for his approachable, down-home personality and infectious laugh.

According to Rivals.com, Colorado received an oral commitment this week from Aaron Haigler, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound senior at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Haigler, rated a two-star prospect by the recruiting-based website, told Rivals.com affiliate BuffStampede.com that Colorado coaches are not pegging him for a certain position. Haigler, who is said to have 4.8 speed, could be a tight end or he could grow into an offensive tackle.

“I don’t have a preference,” Haigler told BuffStampede.com.

According to Rivals.com, Haigler has an offer list that includes Iowa State, San Jose State and Utah State. He apparently impressed CU coaches during a summer camp in Southern California.

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.